Bonifacio Global City (BGC) with all its murals, clean sidewalks, and assortment of restaurants is a great place to work and wander in. But, if you happen to live up north or farther down south, traveling home from this city can be a pain.
Even with the convenience offered by the BGC Buses, the travel time for getting out of the city proper can still take up to an hour or three. Then, you still have to make your way to the train station or line up at one of the point-to-point bus stations. Barring an expensive Grab or Uber ride, there were no direct means of transportation going far north or south.
To ease the commute of their employees in the Uptown Mall area, Megaworld Corporation initiated a shuttle service that addressed this lack. According to TheFortCity.com, “the shuttle operation isn’t owned by any transport company. Instead, it is organized by Megaworld and operated by a group of drivers who own a van or car.” Everything is synchronized by a terminal coordinator.
The operation began in late April of this year with 20 vans that can accommodate 10 to 18 passengers each. And now, the shuttle service is open for the public.
Uptown Mall’s shuttle service terminals are located at the Lower Ground Floor of the mall, near McDonald’s. They’re offering their services every Mondays to Fridays, sometimes Saturdays upon request, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. See the available rates and routes below.
| NORTHBOUND | SOUTHBOUND |
| Antipolo – P90 | Sta. Rosa, Laguna – P100 |
| San Mateo – P80 | Imus, Cavite via Daang Hari Road – P90 |
| Cogeo – P80 | Alabang – P70 |
| Marikina – P60 | Sucat – P50 |
| Cubao – P60 | Bicutan – P50 |
| Crossing (Shaw Blvd./Ortigas) – P45 | McKinley – P25 |
| SM Megamall/Robinson’s Pioneer – P45 | |
| Pasig (Lifehomes) – P40 | |
| Pasig (Rosario) – P35 | |
| Pasig (Palengke) – P25 |
Full disclosure though, this little commute miracle from BGC does not come without a catch. When the clock strikes 5:30 p.m., there will be an inpouring of riders. The drivers don’t allow you to board the van unless there are already 10 or more passengers. And, even though the trips should only have a 30-minute interval, this likely won’t be the case due to the traffic along the way.
All things considered however, this shuttle service is still the quicker, more convenient, and more affordable option to heading home from BGC. As for the wait, here are some things you can do inside the mall to pass the time instead of just waiting in line.
Grab some fast food
As was previously mentioned, the terminal is located near the mall’s McDonald’s. While waiting for your batch of riders to hit that magic 10, you can grab a quick happy meal to munch on on your way home. Maybe get some of those twister fries which are back on their menu.
See Hello Kitty
The Hello Kitty Café just opened this week in Uptown mall. To bide your time while
waiting for the next shuttle to leave, you can go ahead and take a quick peek at the cute café.
Enjoy the fountain display
You can go and feast your eyes on the fountain display of the mall instead of staring into space while waiting in line.
Photos courtesy of TheFortCity.com
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Writer: ANTHEA REYES
